People Choose Mel, Denzel

Awards season is already kicking in. Mel Gibson, Denzel Washington and Tom Hanks and their three movies, “The Patriot,” “Remember the Titans” and last year’s “The Green Mile,” lead the line of nominees for the People’s Choice Awards, announced Thursday. The 27th Annual People’s Choice Awards, which are decided by a Gallup Organization survey of more than 213 million Americans, will be handed out Jan. 7 at California’s Pasadena Civic Auditorium. In the TV categories, leading the list of nominees are the new TV sitcoms starring Bette Midler and Geena Davis (despite the floundering ratings of the former and the poor reviews of the latter) and the venerable “Frasier,” starring Kelsey Grammer. Also in the race: newcomers “Boston Public,” “Dark Angel,” “Ed” and “Gideon’s Crossing,” and the established “Everybody Loves Raymond,” “Friends,” “ER,” “Law & Order” and that Emmy favorite, “The West Wing.”